Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport Named Corporation of the Year

Date: September 25, 2012

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Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP) was recognized as the Corporation of the Year by the Minority Economic Development Institute, Inc. (MEDII).

GSP was presented the award during the Sixth Annual Achievement Awards Banquet on Thursday, September 20, 2012. The banquet concluded the MEDII Minority Economic Development Week where the achievements of minority businesses were observed, and those corporations and financial institutions that support minority business development were honored.

This award was presented based on how well GSP met stated goals for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation over the course of the previous 12 months. WINGSPAN, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport’s $115 million terminal improvement program, is exceeding the DBE and local vendor participation goals for the Rental Car Customer Center renovation currently underway.

As it nears completion, the Rental Car Customer Center project is on target to meet or exceed the 11 percent DBE participation goal. Additionally, the project is predicted to surpass the program’s commitment to utilize at least 70 percent of subcontractors and materials from the Upstate; the current percentage of local participation is 80 percent.

“GSP has a continued commitment to ensure companies, large and small, have the ability to participate in WINGSPAN. Providing opportunities to local businesses is the cornerstone of our renovation program,” said GSP Airport District President and CEO Dave Edwards. “We have created a strong foundation of local participation, and we intend to continue to build on that foundation over the next four years.”

MEDII is a non-profit economic development organization founded in August 2007 to serve as a state-wide resource which aims to increase the economic assets of minority individuals and minority-owned businesses. MEDII functions in the Upstate from a main location in Greenville, South Carolina. The organization strives to develop and implement programs to increase the per capita income of minorities through several initiatives including business development, research, policy and advocacy and education and training. Since its founding in 2007 the Minority Economic Development Institute has hosted MED Week in Greenville with participation from throughout Upstate South Carolina.

For more information about the Minority Economic Development Institute, Inc. visit www.mediiupstate.org.